THE FIRST STRUGGLE ... illusion and the self-delusion of humble glory

The Greater Struggle

Every breath is a struggle,

Every blink of your eye,

Every thought that passes

Through your mind,

Every passion stirs

In your heart.

Do you need for arms,

Armours and wages of war

Before your struggle starts?

....................

Muslims often say, "Jihad is not just war. The Jihad ul-Akbar (the Greater Struggle) is the personal struggle against our own ego and nafs (base desires)." Yeah... we say a lot of stuff. But we don't actually mean it, for time and time again, I observe than we are often overwrought and impressed by military history, weapons of destruction and violent sentiments. Of course we couch it in the name of God and His Beloved Muhammad (saws). 

So I say now that...

The First Struggle

The first struggle for you

Is to overcome your self-delusion

That you truly understand 

What is the Greater Struggle,

And for you to mind your manners with

The ant under your feet,

The woman that you claim to love,

The air that you breathe but do not own,

The God that you claim to worship but Whom you keep distant

And the Prophet that you claim to love but do not follow.

.................

I read someone who decries why Muslims are not "jihad-ing" like how we used to in the past. The struggle, right from the moment of the prophet of Muhammad Habibullah (saws) continues. Look with your heart and see our struggle! Not one moment passes that we are not walking upon the path between right and wrong!

Mika completed his first khatam quran yesterday at his mummy's house.
And it was a struggle. How beautiful it was
because it was indeed a struggle!

wa min Allah at-taufiq.

- Notrumi Embun, 28th May 2014

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

The Djinn Battles above Kuala Lumpur, circa early 1970s - the Djinns, the Caliph and the coming melee

The sky seems empty but for the gorgeous sunset. But what is
going on up there that we do not see?

Sunday ended beautifully with a dimming sunset in red and golden hue. But it was under this same sky, some 40 years ago that a young Mr. Ikhlas (see below on my earlier postings about Mr.Ikhlas) was driving to Kuala Lumpur one auspicious night. He was travelling along one of the main tributaries into the capital city, Jalan Kuching, which was then a single lane trunk road winding its way through a quiet and very much rural scene when he suddenly notice something very strange overhead. Very strange indeed. He stopped the car by the side of the road and came out to have a better look.

The Djinns were in a pitch battle with each other above the skies of Kuala Lumpur. "It was a pitiless fight, a very bloody battle. No quarter was given and none was expected...", said Mr. Ikhlas.

It is funny that coincidentally I am informed that there is a right ruckus now in the Djinn nations. With the advent of the new Caliph of Islam, King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the ancient veteran Djinn soldiers of the Caliphs are mobilising in battle orders for yet another upcoming melee against their old adversaries, the evil Djinns.

Fascinating stuffs. These are interesting times that we live in, sunshine. And just when you think that the sinner is only writing about love, mercy and beauty. But such events are occurring even as I am writing this. Just as the saints and angels go about their business often unseen, so too do the Djinns, and belief in their existence is an implicit part of our faith. Not many people are given (I shall not say blessed, because it is a burden) the third eye to see the Djinns, but for some, like Mr.Ikhlas and others, it is already a part of their life.

It is only with the grace of God and the guidance of the Prophet(pbuh) and the saints that such men are able to carry the weight of their responsibility with a light heart but a determined will. For contacts between mankind and djinnkind is always fraught with dangers, both physical and spiritual. And some men and djinns, alas, have fallen very low indeed. May God have mercy on them.

Contacts with Djinns is like climbing a mountain.
You get to see interesting things but lo, if you misstep
and lose your foothold and slip!

My prayers and thoughts today go to Mr.Ikhlas and such men who unbeknownst to the rest of mankind have toiled hard in the dark spaces between our reality and the Djinn's world to keep at bay the hounds of hate that ever seek to possess and misguide the human spirit.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Earlier Postings on Mr.Ikhlas -
*The Holy Quran, Mr. Ikhlas and Katmir the Dog - Man's Best Friend
*Mr. Ikhlas, Black Magic and The Divine Shyness in the Presence of Villainy

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

GOD, LOVE & AIKIDO - The other worldly Morihei Ueshiba

Can you feel that? I do that with love.

Try with Love

If you cannot see God,

Try hearing Him,

If you cannot hear God,

Try tasting Him,

If you cannot taste God,

Try touching Him,

And if thus your senses

Have all failed

And you cannot do

Any of the above,

Try and try still,

But this time,

Try with Love.

Love is the best bet of them all. It is not the safest, for the path of love is often beset with obstacles and ogres. But for God, Who is greater in aggregate than all the sleeping beauties, princesses, queens of our fairy tales, He is the ultimate quest. The Holy Grail worthy of attention for all knights.

You and I, we are not knights. The world is growing full of distractions and chivalry is now seen as an ancient lore, buried and fit only for feature films, libraries and museums, much like the dinasours.

But in my very(very) brief read on Aikido for my earlier posting today, I came across the wikiograpy of the founder, as well as this interesting biography of him on aikidofaq.com (Click Here). I am not a martial art exponent but I am a curator of words, and I found these words of Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) beautiful and inspiring-

"...I felt the universe suddenly quake, and that a golden spirit sprang up from the ground, veiled my body, and changed my body into a golden one. At the same time my body became light. I was able to understand the whispering of the birds, and was clearly aware of the mind of God, the creator of the universe. At that moment I was enlightened: the source of budo is God's love - the spirit of loving protection for all beings... Budo is not the felling of an opponent by force; nor is it a tool to lead the world to destruction with arms. True Budo is to accept the spirit of the universe, keep the peace of the world, correctly produce, protect and cultivate all beings in nature."

"Around 2am as I was performing misogi, I suddenly forgot all the martial techniques I had ever learned. The techniques of my teachers appeared completely new. Now they were vehicles for the cultivation of life, knowledge, and virtue, not devices to throw people with."

"The Way of the Warrior has been misunderstood. It is not a means to kill and destroy others. Those who seek to compete and better one another are making a terrible mistake. To smash, injure, or destroy is the worst thing a human being can do. The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent such slaughter - it is the Art of Peace, the power of love."

Of course, Wiki information must be treated with caution, so if you desire to know more about Aikido and this very impressive Japanese gentleman, look for a book. A friend of mine is a sensei of Aikido, and I am writing this in honour of being his friend. I was a nothing, you see. A forgotten old fool, before fate had it to throw me into his path, honouring my life with his wonderful company and priceless friendship. And I am also writing this because a grandmaster of a Sufi Order once perchance to observe the photograph of Morihei Ueshiba and commented "This is no ordinary man - He is a saint."

This guy is like Yoda...
"Hate, Envy, Hubris? To the Dark Side it will take you."

God bless all saints, in whatever guise they are in, whether they are still walking this earth or already passed on, gazing upon us from their high perch in the hidden passes of the afterlife, praying always for our happiness and salvation in the all-consuming Wonder that is God, our Most Beloved Creator. 

So perhaps there is still a future for chivalry, yes? Of course!

wa min Allah at-taufiq.

Umar and the Devil. The Companion and the Trickster - A little diversion about the nature and passion of Umar al-Khattab

33. Umar oh Umar

Tallest of the Companions,

Handsome and strong!

The Devil himself would flee

Hearing his footsteps

Stamping through

Medina.

For the Devil knew

Mankind’s

Nature and habits,

But no one can be sure

What Umar might do,

Given half a chance!

Umar oh Umar!

On an auspicious day a long, long time ago, a mighty Quraysh warrior in Mecca made up his mind to rid Mecca of the social problem that was Muhammad. But before that day ended, that man's views would change irredeemably as he became one of Muhammad's staunchest defenders, and in his time he shall be a Rightly Guided Caliph of Islam after the demise of the Prophet.

So you see, the Devil had cause for worry whenever Umar comes around because frankly, even the Devil cannot second guess what Umar might actually do if the righteous Companion ever bumped into the Trickster in some lonely city alley.

God bless the Companions of Muhammad, God bless the Saints, and may God always bless you.

Have a wonderful day, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

The Coming of the Mahdi and the 2nd Coming of Jesus - Mercy and Power from the Crucible of Love

Things are often not as they appear to be in this world, are they? And (I am told)
that things are even more curious in the Sufi Tariqa Orders. It is really no
good to carry any pretense of holiness. Better really to be yourself.
Or who you think you are. Hehehe. It gets a little confusing,
but this confusion is beautiful.

It is (I am told) one of the core beliefs of the Sufi Tariqa Orders, that at the end of time,
apart from the 2nd coming of Jesus, there shall also come the Imam Mahdi. Being
representatives of God and the very best of humanity, they will do a lot of
good deeds, one of which alas, is prophesied to involve fighting and wars.
I don't like to fight. I don't have the waistline for it. I will opt to be in
the music section. But who's to say that the drummers will not head
the army front in the cusp of battle? With only drums and
drumsticks to defend themselves with.  

In Iraq I have heard of a group calling themselves the Mahdi's Army. They do not, as far as I am aware, represent the idea or prophecy of the Imam Mahdi as believed by my friends. But like so much that is beautiful and good in Islam, we are not able to control people from using names and symbols of our religion and spirituality. And sometimes, mad people use them for bad reasons. Let's face it, things are an absolute mess now in Iraq (still).

The lore of the Imam Mahdi is growing. Perhaps one day, if I live long enough, I might share with you whatever that I am informed.

God bless the 2nd Coming of Jesus, and God bless the Coming of the Mahdi! They shall come from the Cruxible of Love and Divine Power, and their Mercy, Justice and Compassion shall surprise and awe the followers of all religion, including Islam and Christianity. Especially Islam and Christianity,

Pax Taufiqa. 

Ahmad Shah Massoud - Assassinated 2 days before 9/11 - Forget him not...

Today is 9th September 2011. Exactly ten years ago in Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Massoud was murdered and a light of promise died with him. Two days after that, on 11th September 2001, the Twin Towers in New York was attacked.

Before he died he visited the West to warn it of the impending danger and violent attacks from the likes of the al Qaeda. When he did that, to the malevolent forces of hubris, Massoud has signed his own death warrant.

In the early hours of the morning before he was assassinated by Muslim bandits, he spent some time with his old friends reading passages from a book of poetry of the eminent Persian poet Hafez Sharizi. Massoud spoke Persian, Pashtu, Urdu, Hindi and French. It is an old Pashtun custom, whereby the reader would randomly open a page from the book, recite the verse then to be discussed by the small circle of friends. A few hours later he surrendered his physical body to fate and his soul departed this earth to return to the Lord.

If you have not, you may wish to read "Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Lion of Panjshir Chapter 1 - Prose of Ramadhan Part 6"

May God light his soul with the light of Muhammad Habibullah!

wa min Allah at-taufiq.

Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Lion of Panjshir Chapter 1 - Prose of Ramadhan Part 6

The Lion of Panjshir (Ramadhan Verses #7)

Massoud, where are you now?

You were the breath of Islam

And you maintained the balance

In the Path of the Middle Way,

The Path of the Nation of Muhammad.

Massoud, what are you doing now?

You were the handsome leader,

The Commander of men,

Lettered and wise, feeling with emotion

The Feeling that a true leader should have.

Why did they want you dead?

Massoud, who are you smiling at now?

Beneath the sky of God,

You fought for your people

On the soil of your ancestors,

But some were ashamed of you,

Because they did not understand

The Light of Love that animated

Your strength and your compassion.

Massoud, how are you?

You who once surveyed the land

From the top of a mountain,

And you look upon your nation,

Tired, poor and dispossessed,

But you saw the coming of the pirates,

Who came to your valley with

A foreign hatred and a foreign bullet.

They said they were Muslims, these Talibans and al-Qaedas

But what faith were they following?

You stood in their way,

And with certainty you said,

“I reject you and your horrifying interpretations!”

Massoud, who are your companions now?

This Ramadhan, once again I know

That you are not with me anymore.

You have left us and only ghosts

And whispers are left of you

To counsel us, to caution us.

You were the Lion of Panjshir,

But you shall always be to me

The Lion of Islam,

For I claim you

In the name of

The Nation.

How can the world now forget

Massoud?

Who tried in his own tireless way

To do good?

This man, Ahmad Shah Massoud was instrumental in the defeat of the Soviet invasion and occupation of his homeland, Afghanistan. Later he was murdered in a lowly and cowardly assassination by the ruthless mechanism of his own co-religionists, when he rejected the Taliban and al-Qaeda as portraying a very wrong idea of Islam. His passing marked the end of the one real hope for the country before it fell into the hands of the evildoers.

"The only thing standing in the way of future Taliban massacres is Ahmad Shah Massoud."

—National Geographic, "Inside the Taliban"(2007)

I expect to be writing more about him during this month, ergo, this is Chapter 1.

Osama bin Laden is a blurry footnote of a footnote of a footnote in the page of history that belongs to Ahmad Shah Massoud. And with the killer’s demise, his mad ideology should perish too. But I fear that people will remember Osama more than Massoud - the Muslim bodypolitik are so easily manipulated, and a large chunk of Muslims are showing time and time again, why they do not deserve a leader like the Lion of Panjshir.

When leaders like Massoud is shining upon the Muslim nation, their compassion and courage only shows up the horrible ugliness of those other ‘Muslim leaders’ who continue to defame the Prophet’s legacy by their hate, hubris, arrogance and violence. Such managers of suicide-bombers and 'moral guardians' may be sincere in their convictions, but madmen can be sincere too, so we reject them utterly.

Especially in this holy month, we shall give them no quarter, and no respite.

wa min Allah at-taufiq